This invention relates to a water faucet fitting used to divert water from an open faucet so as to be returned through a filter unit, it being a general object of this invention to reduce manufacturing costs thereof as much as possible. With the disparity between domestic and foreign labor costs it becomes extremely difficult for domestic manufacturers to be competitive when the product involved is labor intensive. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to reduce the time involved in and/or to eliminate manufacturing steps that entail labor. In practice, the cost reduction can be as much as 80%.
In addition to the labor cost factor, the material cost factor is most important, it being an object to this invention to employ metal bar stock that is subject to minimized machining, as compared with prior art product of the same description that is subject to approximately twice the amount of machining. Also, the production machine tool operates with a conventional collet by practicing the present invention, rather than requiring special collets for prior art rectangular bar stock.
The prior art configurations of these by-pass bodies of such valves do not address the labor intensive processes of manufacture. On the contrary, unnecessary steps are executed in manufacture, which through careful analysis is shown to involve approximately 300 seconds labor in order to produce a single article, while the present invention involves the expenditure of but 60 seconds labor to a single article; said articles being substantially the same as will be shown. Therefore, at a labor cost of $0.008 per second, the prior art labor cost is $2.40, while this invention's labor cost is merely $0.48. It is to be understood that these figures are taken from actual production time studies.
In carrying out this invention, round bar stock is employed in order to minimize material cost, reducing the prior art material cost of $0.26 to $0.12. Machining time and waste is commensurately reduced. And further, round bar stock is less expensive than rectangular bar stock.
The return diverter valve is devised to direct faucet water through a filter unit and back to the discharge of the faucet, there being a filter screen at the faucet discharge. It is the filter screen fitting which is used herein to mount the return diverter valve characterized by its separate body with a diverter coupling connected by a hose to the filter unit and with a return coupling connected by a hose from the filter unit. Also, a discharge spout with a filter screen separate from that of the faucet discharge. A manual valve control is accessible at one side of the filter screen fitting that incorporates the diverter valve, as will be described. It is an object of this invention to provide a low cost return diverter valve having the aforesaid features and which is every bit as functional and durable as the prior art, but at a fraction of the cost. In carrying out this invention, the prior art faucet screen fitting and diverter valve remains the same as will be described, while the return diverter body, return coupling and discharge spout are of unique and improved configuration.